


i hope (this year is better than the last)

by doodlingstories



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Birthday, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, Gen, Grief/Mourning, I just want them to be happy, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), everyone is in this lol, happy birthday tony stark i love you 3000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-29 12:01:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19019524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doodlingstories/pseuds/doodlingstories
Summary: Her face slowly morphs into a grin.“I know I promised no more surprises…”Peter is the first one to turn around. He freezes when he sees who it is. Holy shit.or; a small ficlet for Tony Stark's birthday





	i hope (this year is better than the last)

**Author's Note:**

> i love you 3000 tony stark, happy birthday

They hold his funeral on the day of his birthday.

The sun is a stark contrast against the many people clad in black, mourning Earth’s Greatest Defender.

Pepper places the flowers on the water. She stands there, holding her daughter’s hand, and watches as it slowly floats away from her. Pepper glances down at Morgan. It hurts to look at her, because she doesn’t even seem to understand what is going on. Doesn’t seem to understand that her father won’t come back. All she had said when Pepper had tried to explain that her father was dead was, ‘ _Daddy would never leave me. He’ll come back_ ’ in that stubborn way that reminded Pepper of Tony.

Morgan seems restless. She’s tapping her feet against the ground, and keeps looking around for something more interesting to look at. Morgan looks behind her, and lets her gaze fall upon the boy she had heard so many things about.

Peter Parker. _Spider-Man_. Her favorite superhero. She’s about to ask her mother whether or not she thinks he’d want to play with her when she suddenly sees something that makes her gasp loudly.

Her face slowly morphs into a grin.

“I know I promised no more surprises…”

Peter is the first one to turn around. He freezes when he sees who it is. _Holy shit_.

“ _Daddy!_ ”

Morgan lets go of her mother and runs up towards the house. Towards her father. He stands there with a blinding smile on his face, arms open and ready for his daughter. She crashes into him hard, and hugs him harder than she’s ever done before.

Tony feels tears in his eyes as he holds her close to him.

“I knew you’d come back,” Morgan whispers, “I told mommy that you’d come back.”

“I’m sorry for leaving you, baby. I love you so much,” he murmurs into her hair.

“3000?” she asks, slowly letting go of him. Tony smiles softly. He crouches to get on her eye level. He soaks in her features, soaks in her presence and feels the love he has for her so prominently.

“No,” he shakes his head, and watches Peter and Harley come closer from the corner of his eye, “I love you _infinity_.”

“Mr. Stark…?” Peter’s voice is trembling. Tony slowly stands up, and grabs Morgan’s hand. They tangle their fingers together.

“I seem to remember you calling me Tony, kid… what happened to that, hm?” he teases lightly. Peter huffs out a teary laugh. Harley doesn’t even say anything, too shell shocked to do anything but move closer towards Tony.

Tony swallows.

“I know you’re not my biological kids… but humor an old man, would you? It’s my birthday, after all,” he tells them, and holds his arms out once more. At first, he thinks that they won’t do it, won’t hug him.

But then both Harley and Peter tumble towards him at the same time, engulfing him in one of the best hugs he’s ever had. And then Morgan joins in on the hug, and suddenly it’s the best hug he’s ever had.

“God, I love you kids. _So damn much._ ”

When his kids tell him that they love him back, his heart nearly bursts out of his chest from how hard it’s beating. It’s the best feeling in the world.

Soon, they’re all gathered around Tony; The Avengers, the Guardians, heroes from everywhere in the universe are gathered and it makes Tony’s heart feel warm.

Still, while they gather around, there’s one question that no one has yet dared to ask. But then…

“How? How are you here? How are you… _alive_?” Pepper whispers. Someone coughs behind her, and she turns around.

Doctor Strange’s eyes twinkle in the sunlight, “I might’ve had a hand in it. If anyone deserves a happy ending… it is the man that saved the entire universe, don’t you think?”

Everyone falls silent. There are similar expressions of agreement on everyone’s faces.

Rhodey is the one to break the silence.

“So…” he says, a small smile playing on his lips, “are we gonna celebrate this old man, or what?”

  
  
  


The cake that was supposed to be the dessert at the service is turned into a birthday cake by his kids. They slap on as many birthday candles as they can find (which, funnily enough, is more than 30) and decorate it with some leftover frosting.

It looks terrible and Tony loves it.

Everyone is enjoying themselves. A day that was supposed to be somber and dark has turned out to be one of the best days of Tony’s life.

Even Nebula seems to be enjoying herself, playing paper football with Rhodey, Quill and Sam.

They’re all eating the birthday cake when Peter suddenly gasps.

“Oh my god! Mr. Stark, we haven’t even given you any presents yet! _Shit!_ ”

Morgan looks at Peter with scandalized expression.

“That’s mommy’s word!”

Peter’s eyes widen, suddenly having realised that he just cursed in front of a young kid, while Harley throws his head back in laughter.

Tony watches as his kids banter back and forth, laughing and making jokes with each other. He feels familiar arms hug him from behind. Pepper kisses his cheek lightly, and whispers softly in his ear, “Happy Birthday, Iron Man.”

 _Yes_ , Tony thinks, looking over at his entire family, _it’s a very happy birthday indeed._

  
  


_Fin._

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this in like.. 2 hours. weird flex but ok


End file.
